IF you’re like most people these days, your eyes on fixed on a gadget or two all day. Whether you’re working or learning from home, nearly everything (in our country, at least), is now being done remotely.
All that screen time has resulted in aching backs, stiff necks and red eyes. So what’s causing the redness or irritation in your eyes? It’s probably what doctors calls “dry eye.”
Eyes need to stay moist. If you need to blink frequently when you’re in front of a screen, you likely have “dry eye” and lack tears, which are not just made up of water but also oil and mucus.
We recently talked to pediatric ophthalmologist and strabismus specialist Dr. James Abraham Lee of the American Eye Center about digital eye strain and dry eye, and he offered some tips on how to deal with the condition since our screen time these days has indeed increased.
“Dry eye is usually caused by environmental factors and our own habits. For example, if there is an electric fan or air-conditioning unit in front of your working table, you’re likely to get dry eye,” said Lee.
Digital eye strain, he explained, is characterized by blurry vision, headaches and dry eye. This is because of prolonged use of muscles in the eye to focus on the screen. The nearer the object or screen is, the more the eyes need to focus, resulting in spasms.
The best tip Lee can offer as a doctor is for the person to rest their eyes from time to time. He used the “20/20/20” rule of looking at something 20 feet away for 20 second every 20 minutes. This rule was popularized by vision ergonomics specialist Dr. Jeff Ashnell. Lee also advised those who work and study from home to maintain a distance of 18 to 24 inches from the screen, and to observe proper posture when seated. He also said using a bigger screen, like a TV, would help.
Another tip Lee has for students and people who work at home is for them to keep the screen at eye level with the proper brightness, meaning not too bright or too dim. Another thing we can do to relieve dry eye or digital eye strain is to blink regularly. Blinking is the body’s way of replenishing the tears. Note that the rate of blinks we make in a minute decreases when we’re in front of a screen so that tears evaporate. Lee said it is also important for people who are 40 years old and above to use their reading glasses, which help the eyes’ focusing muscles. The less effort your eyes need to make, the less strain.
Also, always keep an over-the-counter eye lubricant like Systane (Lee likes Systane Ultra UD) on hand. “You can use one drop of an eye lubricant three to four times a day or as needed to refresh your eyes,” said Lee.
Juliana Ong is a student and entrepreneur who runs two online businesses (@yumini.mart and @kakaninkusina on Instagram). She is always on her phone and of course, sometimes she has backache and eye strain. Lee advised her to always maintain proper posture and use an eye lubricant.
Rowena Wendy Lei runs a blog, called “Animetric’s World”, and is a wife and mom to two kids who are both gamers. She’s a longtime Systane user and has encouraged her kids to use the brand.
Alcon, the global leader in eye care, is the maker of Systane. The company recently announced the results of survey, conducted by research firm Ipsos among 1,005 nationally representative US adults, to see the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on consumers’ screen time. The survey showed that nearly 80 percent of Americans reported their screen time increased during the pandemic. Three out of five (60 percent) of those who have increased their screen time are concerned about the impact this will have on their eyes. Among those with increased screen time, nearly half (45 percent) reported their eyes feel dry because of it. Systane has eye lubricant products to address different needs. Systane Ultra High Performance is for fast symptom relief and extended protection. It’s the most popular Systane product. Systane Balance Restorative Formula is for the temporary relief of burning and irritation due to dry eye. Systane Ultra UD is a one-dose lubricant that is preservative-free, meaning you can use them more than 3-4 times a day. This is perfect for children, those with sensitive eyes and dogs.
We have been using Systane Ultra High Performance and Systane Ultra UD on our dog because none of the artificial tears prescribed by the veterinarian would work on her irritated eyes. I asked Lee and he said it works perfectly on dogs. He uses it on his dog. There is one more tip that I picked up from Dr. Lee: applying a warm eye mask helps your eyelid produce oil, which can help alleviate the feeling of dryness in the eye area.
Remember that you only have one pair of eyes so you better take care of them while you can.